Introduction

Difference Between Git, GitLab, and GitHub

When working on software projects, you might come across Git, GitLab, and GitHub. These tools help developers collaborate, manage, and track changes in their code. Let’s break down what each one is and how they differ.

1. Git

   • What it is: Git is a version control system.
   • What it does: It keeps track of changes made to files in a project, allowing multiple people to work on the same codebase and keep a history of changes.
   • Key Point: Git runs on your computer and helps manage your code locally or on any remote server.

2. GitLab

   • What it is: GitLab is another web-based platform that uses Git, similar to GitHub.
   • What it does: It provides a complete DevOps platform, which includes additional tools for Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD), issue tracking, and project management.
   • Key Point: GitLab offers more built-in features for managing the entire software development lifecycle, and you can self-host it on your own server if you want.

3. GitHub

   • What it is: GitHub is a web-based platform that uses Git.
   • What it does: It allows you to store your Git repositories online, collaborate with others, review code, and track issues. It also offers features like pull requests, issue tracking, and project management.
   • Key Point: GitHub is like a social network for developers and makes it easy to share and collaborate on Git projects with others.

Summary

• Git is the tool that tracks changes.
• GitHub and GitLab are platforms for hosting Git projects online.
• GitHub is more popular for open-source projects, while GitLab offers more advanced DevOps features and the option for self-hosting.